Flat cam for the positive mechanical control of a movable member of an automatic lathe



VJune 22, 1965 -Filed sept. 5, 1961 P. BERGONZO FLAT CAM FOR IHE POSITIVE MECHANICAL CONTROL OF A MOVABLE MEMBER OF AN AUTOMATIC LATHE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 22, '1965 P. BERGoNzo 3,190,142

FLAT CAM FOR T HE POSITIVE MECHANICAL CONTROL OF A` MOYABLEV MEMBER 0F `AN AUTOMATIC LATHE y Filed sept. s. 1951` s Y 2 sheets-sheet z The present invention has -for its object a flat cam for the positive mechanical control of a .mobile member of a machine-tool and more Vparticularly of an automatic lathe which is constituted by two parts, each comprising a portion of thefworking proiile of thecam, and the first one of which, carrying the second one, is angularlydisplaceable in its plane, in order to modify the slope of the profile, whereas the second oneis displaceable with respect to, the first one, `so Yasto modity'the length ot the working profile, a xingdevice Vbeing provided for xing. the relative positions of said iirst andV second parts between each other and with respect to the driving shaft. The. annexed drawing shows schematically and by way', of example two embodiments of a cam according to the invention, fixed on a polygonal constituting a control station of'an automatic lathe. o' Y i PIG. 1` is a plan View of the Vrst embodiment, the cam being in a first position. Y r Y Y i FIG. 2 is a plan view ofthe first embodiment, the cam being in -a second position. Y i Y FIG. 3 is a'section along line lIl-III of FIG. 2. .o FIG. 4 is a front view Vof thesecond embodiment of the FIG. 5 is a plan View partially in section of FIG. 4. `III the embodiments illustrated, the flat cam comprises a lirst part 3 angularly displaceable in its plane and a second part 4 carried by the first .one and linearly .displaceable with respect to the `iirst part 3. In the first embodiment, the at cam is rigidlyxed Aby means of'a xing device in a plane parallel to the rotation axis of a driving shaft of the cam, constituted for example by a polygonal Ydrum Zot a control station of an automatic lathe. A support 1, for the cam, fixed on the polygonal drum in a predetermined position, shows, in plan view, the general shape ofa U the central portion 5 of which 3,190,142 Patented June 22, 1965 ICC rilateral,-rone side of which constitutes a second portion 19 of the working profile of the cam. This portion 19 is -located in the sameplane as the portion 11 of the working profile. The lowerface Vof this secondpart 4 comprises a rib 2), vengaged inthe guiding groove 18 provided in the iirst part 3. The rib is parallel to the Y portion 19- of theworking profile of the cam. `A ,slot is provided in the axis of said rib on a certain length of it. A

This second part 4 carries also a thrid'portion 23 of the working profile of the cam constituted by one of the sides adjacent to the side constitutingrthe second portion 19 of the working profile. l Y

The fixingV device enables the'relative positions of the parts 3 and 4 to be chosen and fixed, as well as theirpositions with respectrto the drum 2. This xing device inv cludes the bolts 6 passing through the holes provided comprises two holes traversed by ,bolts 6. yOne of the l wings 7 of the support 1 present-san entrance bench` 8 intended .to co-operate with a feeler actuatingY positively one Vof the mobile members of the lathe. The only wing 9 of the support 1 presents a thickness a smaller than the thickness b of said support and comprises an outlet bench 10 intendedito co-operate also withthe said teeler. The top face of said wing 9'constitutes a bearing surface for theK second `part y4.1 A

The first part 3 is of general triangular Vshape and one of its"sides forms aiirst portion 11of the working profile of the cam. One of theextremitiesof said portion of the prole is located -in the immediate vicinity of the extremity of the entrance bench of the support 1. This part 3 comprises a pivot `12 theaxis'of which is common With a straight line perpendicular to the surface of the part 3 `,and going through the extremity of the portion 11 of the prole situated in the vicinity of the extremity of the entrance bench 8. This rpivot is engaged in a Iblind drill 13 provided perpendicularly to the surface of the polygonal drum 2 at the end of the portion 11 of the prole. Ibis part 3 presents a slot 14 in form of an arc of circle co-axial to the pivot 12, and a guiding groove 18is provided in its lower face parallelly to the portion 11 of the working profile.`

The second part 4 presents the general shaperof a quadin the central part 5 of the support l'which are screwed into the drum 2, thus providing a rigid attachment of the the support 1 on this drum. A tightening member constituted by a bolt 1S engaged inthe slot 14V of the part 3 is screwed in a tapped bore 16 provided in the drum 2. This tightening member 15bears on a planed portion 17 of thetop` surface of the part 3 and applies the latter against the faceY of the drum 2.` A xing member for the secondrpart 4, constituted by Va bolt 22 passing through the slot 21, is screwed in a tappedbore provided in the first part 3. Y

Inrplan view, the protile of the Vcam described shows the general shape'of aV, Vone wing of which is formed by the tirst portion 11 and the lsecond portion 19,0f'the working profile, lWhereas the second wing of the 'V is formed by the third portion 23 of the working profile. v

Withthe aid of the cam described herebefore, it is possibleto modify the jtwo -principalparameters of the working profile, thatis:

' (a) The slope Vof the working profile, that is to say, the angle c1, c2 that this profile makes with a plane p perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drum on which Vthe cam is fixed. -p

(b)" The length of theV working profile, that is to say, its length b1, b2 and thus the lift h1, h2.

Since the slope of the working proiile determinesV the speed of displacementof the mobile member actuated and the lift of said prole defines the amplitude ofthe displacement of `said '7mobile member, itis clear that the cam described may easily be adjusted in accordance with the machining operations to be performed. This results clearly from FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the adjustable cam in two different positions for which the slope and the length ofthe Working prole are dierent.

In order to pass from the position of the cam illustrated Y at FIG.V 1 to the one rshownrin FIG. 2, the following operations are necessary:

V(l) .One loosen's the tightening member 15 xingthe angular position of ythe cam withA respect to the drum 2, then one causes said cam to pivot so that the portions 11 4and 19 of the-working profile form an angle c2, Vinstead kof angle c1, with'the plane p perpendicular. to the axis of Vrotation of the drum 2. When the cam isin yits new position, the tightening member 15 is tightened'so asv to cating scale 24 is carriedby each of the faces of the drum ,i 2. This scale enables measurement of the projection of the length b1 b2 of the working measure of the lift of the profile. Y ln the secondV embodiment illustrated profile which is a ruparo/SQ 4 and Y 5, the flat cam constituted by the Ytwo parts v3 'and 4V is fixed by means of afixingdevice in a'plane perpendicular -to the axis of rotation "of the drivingjshaft of the cam, that is a removable front face 29 of the polygonal dr1'1m`2.V

In said second embodimentV the ysupport is constituted by a thick plate 30, one edge 31`of which isintended to carried by the parts 3 and'4rrespectively. It is evident f that the `pivot 12 engaged in the blind bore 13 'could be replaced by any other articulation enabling the` first: part 3 to pivot, in a plane parallel to the face ofthe'drum I' on Ywhich'it is`fixed. Also,l the tightening memberflS and Vthe slot 14, aswell as the fixing member V22.V and the slot 21, could be replaced by equivalent devices for fix-v ing the angularV position of the first part 3'Withrespect be fixed on the outsideV face of the removable front face i 29 by means of inside hexagonal `head screws 3,2 ffor exi ample'.- As in the first embodiment,v the first part 3 pivots` inrits plane around the pivot 12 engagedin -the'support and carries a first portion 11 of' the working profile.

one carries the second portion V19.andvtheV thirdportion 23 ofthe working profile of the fiat cam. VTherfirst part 3 is fixed on thesupport by means'V of tightening mem l could be Vdifierent from ,those described and illustrated,v Yas vlong Vasthe working Yprofile` of the cam is approxi-y mately continuous.` This profile could, however, be conf n Y stituted by rectilinear or curved lines.

'Il'lie second part 4 displaceable with respect'lto the-first bers Vconstituted by screws 33 rengaged insslots havingl the` form of arcs 34 circles concentric to the pivotlZ and screwed in the-first part 3. The'second part 4Yslides ,f .Y

by means of slides on the part 3 and is'xed on itin `the rdesired position by means'of a fixing member constituted by a screw 35 engagedrin a slot 36Yprovided in the first part and screwed inthe second part 4. The

j ing first cam means having a first cam working profile;k

support carries also a scale in order to facilitate the Y adjustmentrof the cam. y

Y VVAs in the'first embodiment described, bothY theVV slope and the lift of thefiat cam may be modified,- chosen and Y fixed independently of each other. Y

Therprin'cipal advantages of the adjustable` profile cam according to the present invention with lrespect to the existingflat cams, are the following: e Y e (l) Possibilities of easily adjusting the profileof the carnfor the control ofvery `diversified machining operations. e Y Y Y Y v Y i (2f) Eachof the cams carriedby thev control station i controls only one uniquev machining operation, in V4contrast to existing flatV cams, for example, the cams with turret. Y

to theV drum :2 andV the relative position ofthe second` part 4 with respect to the first one respectively. The gen;l

eral shapes of the first and second parts and of theV supportv When the prole is curved, the second` lpart 4A must naturally be d isplaceable'with respect to the first part r3` parallelly to `the saidY first and second portions of the working profile. i Y

f Iclaim: j K Y v 1.` A` cam yfor thekmechanical controlA of a mobile mem-j ber ofairnchine'tool, comprising support means includsecond cam means having a second camworking Aprofile which is a continuation of said first profile and is dis-l posed at an angle greater. than 90 to said first profile, means mounting said second `cam means for rotation relative onY and relative to said support means about an axis which is contiguous to the junction of 1 said first and second profiles, means for releasably lockingrsaid second cam means inany of a plurality of positionsvof Vadjust# ment relative to said support means, third Vcam means Y having a third camworking profile which is a continua= multiple lobes for the control of the slidef'carrying theV i Y (3) Further in lthe first embodiment illustrated, the i torque'Y Vto `Which the driving kshaft .is *subjected 'in the kcourse of a cycle of machining operation is approximately Vprofiles being straight and'coplanarand said means mounting said third cam means on said second camimeansl re` It is,.from then, possible to produce Vstrong cams which f e areabl'e to withstand the greatY forcesfdue tothe rapid accelerations and decelerations of the slides bearing tools of a' lathe Aof large capacity, that is to sayY those which can machine pieces of` a diameter over 2% inches. Y But, until now, thecapacityV of automatic lathes with cams was limited throughthe fragility and the flexibility of the iiat cams with'many lobes. Y

Two embodiments ofthe camwith adjustable profileV according to the invention have been fdescribed and illus`` l -trated, but it is evidentV that, numerousrvariants could be i rforeseeniwitliout Vdepartingrfrom the scope of the claimed protection.

tionof said second profile and which is disposed'at'an 1 wise'o'f said second, profile, and means, Afor releasably lock..-

l ing said third cam means in any of a plurality of positions` of Vadjustment relative tol saidvsecond cam means. g

\ 2. A camasV claimed isl claim `1, theadjac'ent fends of said first and Ysecond profiles coinciding with said axis.

3. A cam as claimed in claim I, and fourth carnmcans stricting movement of said thirdcam means to lmovement parallel profiles. Y Y

References Cited by the Examiner i UNrTED STATES PATENTS e 855,773 6/07v Hnsn.- 7g4-spas: =868,086 10/.07v Hanson etlal.f 74-568 1,430,852 10/22 .Roesch s r r 'M '56s 2,216,318 10/40 Lewis p 74-568 Y 2,606,610. s/52; kcouter ---1 1 --.1741-568 x FQREIGN PATENTS- 473,9745 3/297 Germany. i

BRoUoHToN of. DURHAM, Primary Examinar,

to the commonY plane of said secondv and 

1. A CAM FOR THE MECHANICAL CONTROL OF MOBILE MEMBER OF A MACHINE TOOL, COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING FIRST CAM MEANS HAVING A FIRST CAM WORKING PROFILE, SECOND CAM MEANS HAVING A SECOND CAM WORKING PROFILE WHICH IS A CONTINUATION OF SAID FIRST PROFILE AND IS DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE GREATER THAN 90* TO SAID FIRST PROFILE, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SECOND CAM MEANS FOR ROTATION RELATIVE ON AND RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPOR MEANS ABOUT AN AXIS WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE JUNCTION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PROFILES, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID SECOND CAM MEANS IN ANY OF A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS OF ADJUSTMENT RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, THIRD CAM MEANS HAVING A THIRD CAM WORKING PROFILE WHICH IS A CONTINUATION OF SAID SECOND PROFILE AND WHICH IS DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE GREATER THAN 90* TO SAID SECOND PROFILE, MEANS MOUNTING SAID THIRD CAM MEANS ON SAID SECOND CAM MEANS 